Equipment for designing and making costumes

ABSTRACT

A kit consisting of a set of members, having outlines representing different costume parts, in conjunction with a corresponding set of pattern pieces; the set of members comprising more than one shape of at least one of the costume parts for each style thereof, and there being one or more pattern pieces corresponding to each member of the set, the members and the pattern pieces being to appropriate scales, whereby a costume can be designed by selecting a particular permutation out of the set of members to form a substantially two-dimensional representation of that design, and that particular costume can then be made by taking the corresponding permutation out of the set of pattern pieces, and cutting and making up material in accordance with those pattern pieces.

United States Patent 1191 White et al.

EQUIPMENT FOR DESIGNING AND MAKING COSTUMES Inventors: Berta A. I. White, Cambridge;

William G. Lines, Godstone, both of England Assignee:

England July 19, 1972 Kincob Limited, Cambridge,

July 11, 1973 Foreign Application Priority Data United Kingdom........ 33786/72 References Cited US. Cl. 33/12; 33/174 B Int. Cl A4lh 43/00 Field of Search 33/174 B, 12, 17 R; 2/243 R, 243 B; 206/223, 278; 35/26, 37; D52/6 A Freedman 33/12 Baldwin Berlin 33/12 [111 3,888,009 June 10, 1975 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 746,298 3/1956 United Kingdom 33/174 B 79,460 11/195! Norway 33/174 B Primary Examiner-Richard E. Aegerter Assistant Examiner-Charles E. Phillips Attorney, Agent, or Ft'rmLarson, Taylor & Hinds [57] ABSTRACT A kit consisting of a set of members, having outlines representing different costume parts, in conjunction with a corresponding set of pattern pieces; the set of members comprising more than one shape of at least one of the costume parts for each style thereof, and there being one or more pattern pieces corresponding to each member of the set, the members and the pattern pieces being to appropriate scales, whereby a costume can be designed by selecting a particular permutation out of the set of members to form a substantially two-dimensional representation of that design, and that particular costume can then be made by taking the corresponding permutation out of the set of pattern pieces, and cutting and making up material in accordance with those pattern pieces.

9 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures EQUIPMENT FOR DESIGNING AND MAKING COSTUMES Costumes are made from several basic parts, for example sleeves, collar, bodice and skirt, which may be sewn together along seams. Each seam (for example shoulder seam) usually follows one of a number of conventionally located paths across the costume the path that the seam takes defining the style" of the mating costume parts. For example, shoulder seams can take paths defining either a raglan style or a set-in style of mating sleeves and bodice, and a collar seam can define, for example, a boat-neck style, a mandarin style or a peter pan style of mating collar and bodice.

Moreover, each style of each costume part can have any one of a number of different shapes. That is to say, both raglan style sleeves and set-in style sleeves can have those separate shapes, for example, known as kaftan, leg-ofmutton or puff; all styles of bodices can be smock-like or more tightly fitting; and all styles of skirts can be pleated, or wrapped-around or flared. All costume parts can be lengthened or shortened as desired, and the completed costume can also include, for example, pockets, cuffs or belts.

Clearly, a process of permutation of the abovementioned styles and shapes of costume parts will result in a relatively large number of distinctive costumes.

According to the present invention a kit consists of a set of members, having outlines representing different costume parts, in conjunction with a corresponding set of pattern pieces; the set of members comprising more than one shape of at least one of the costume parts for each style thereof, and there being one or more pattern pieces corresponding to each member of the set, the members and the pattern pieces being to appropriate scales, whereby a costume can be designed by selecting a particular permutation out of the set of members to form a substantially two-dimensional representation of that design, and that particular costume can then be made by taking the corresponding permutation out of the set of pattern pieces, and cutting and making up material in accordance with those pattern pieces.

Preferably, the set of members is such that a plurality of distinctive costumes can be designed in which not only can each costume part by chosen to have any one of a number of different shapes, but each of those costume part shapes is embodied in a number of different styles.

To some members of the set there may correspond more than one pattern piece for example, a member having an outline representing a tunic bodice will require at least two pattern pieces, one for each of the front and the back of the tunic bodice. However, the reverse of this situation is also possible in which one of the pattern pieces corresponds simultaneously to a number of the members of the set. For example, it may be possible to make up four different shapes of sleeve (in, say, the set-in style) by sewing together a number of pieces of material whose cutting has involved using merely a single pattern piece. Clearly, the said pattern piece then corresponds simultaneously to each of four members of the set.

The members can take the form of stencils so that by consecutively superposing, and drawing through, different stencils onto a writing sheet, any one of a number of distinctive costume designs may be drawn. Preferably, a number of such stencils would be formed in each of one or more sheets, the sheets being of a translucent plastics material for ease of location in use. It should be noted that the user can shorten a sleeve or a skirt, for example, when using a stencil, and then make a corresponding shortening when using the respective pattern pieces.

Alternatively, the members can be cut-outs of paper, felt or other material; upper faces of the cut-outs being coloured and/or patterned to represent different cos tume cloths, and lower faces being optionally treated with a glue to allow those cut-outs so treated to be retained in position on a design board. Should the cutouts be of felt, they can be satisfactorily held in position on a felt backing sheet in the manner of a flannelgraph.

The outlines of the members preferably show the different costume parts when viewed in perspective, and can further be exaggerated in certain respects (for example, long legged) because the finished costume design can be schematic in that it is simply to show the effect which an actual costume fashioned to that design would make. Preferably, in addition to the members having one or more corresponding pattern pieces, there are further members representing a human figure and- /or accessories, to which further members there are no corresponding pattern pieces.

The pattern pieces are not mere enlargements of the outlines of the members because they allow for human thickness (by sufficient width of material and possibly by means of darts), and can give directions as to where and how to form seams and hems to give costume parts of greater or shorter length. Each of the pattern pieces is preferably durable, and for example can be formed as a flexible sheet of a translucent plastics material on which is marked in conventional dress-making notation the locations of the darts, the direction of the lengthwise grain, and the like. Preferably, each pattern piece has superimposed thereon guide lines for use in making up the pattern shown to a range of different sizes, for example sizes l0, l2, 14 or l6. For ease of use, the guide lines indicating different sizes can be drawn on the pattern pieces in respective colours.

in practice, a book of instructions is also preferably supplied with the kit of members and pattern pieces according to the present invention. However, lack of skill in making the costume design from the set of members is irrelevant, provided that the permutation chosen is feasible that is to say, provided that mating costume parts of the same style have been utilised. Moreover, a skilled person could make a desired costume by selecting a particular permutation out of the set of pattern pieces, and then cutting and making up material, without first using the set of members.

One particular kit, consisting of a set of members in conjunction with a corresponding set of pattern pieces, according to the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a stencil set; and,

FIG. 2 shows, in plan, a pattern piece corresponding to one of the stencil outlines shown in FIG. 1.

A translucent plastics sheet 10, shown in FIG. 1, is formed with a number of stencils. Stencil 12 has an outline showing a human figure, which may be drawn onto a writing sheet. By consecutively superposing, and drawing through, a permutation of the remaining stencil outlines, the human figure may be clothed by a number of costume parts. Preferably, the sheet 10 ineludes stencils having outlines representing, for example, trouser suits, shorts and boleros (none of which are shown) as well as the dresses in both raglan and set-in style with mating choices of sleeves which are shown. The sheet also includes stencils having outlines representing various accessories, for example, wigs (14a and 14b), hats (not shown), belts (16), cufl's (18a and 18b) and shoes (not shown).

Each of the costume parts shown in exaggerated stencil outline form in FIG. 1 can be made up by using one or more corresponding pattern pieces. The tunic bodice outline shown by stencil 20 in FIG. 1 has several corresponding pattern pieces, one of which is shown schematically at 22 in FIG. 2.

The pattern piece 22 is a durable sheet of a flexible translucent plastics material on which have been drawn various guide lines with brief instructions (not shown) how to make up the tunic bodice to one of three differ ent sizes, e.g., sizes l0, l2 or 14. Although the guide lines would in practice be drawn in different colours, in FIG. 2 they are shown at 24a, 24b and 246 by full, dot/- dash and double dot/dash lines respectively. Each of the different guide lines includes dress-making instructions, in conventional notation, regarding the location of darts (26a, 26b, 26c) and the direction of the lengthwise grain (line 28 in FIG. 2), for example, as well as information regarding seams and hems (not fully shown).

All pattern pieces can be folded in practice as and where indicated on the plastics sheets (such indications are not shown in FIG. 2) to give costume parts of shorter length. Pattern pieces may also be added to by the user to give costume parts of greater length. It is possible to make up several different shapes of set-in sleeves (see stencils 30 and 32 in FIG. 1) by using merely two corresponding pattern pieces namely a first pattern piece showing a puff sleeve and a second pattern piece showing a straight tubular sleeve.

To more readily determine which pattern pieces correspond to which members of the set, the pattern pieces can be numbered and/or named, as at A in FIG. 2. The members can then be similarly numbered and/or named as at A on stencil 20 to direct a user to the corresponding pattern piece(s).

We claim:

1. A kit for use in designing and making costumes,

comprising, in combination, a set of stencils with each stencil having a unique outline representing a particular costume part, at least one of said costume parts being represented by the outline of more than one shape of a particular style, at least one clothing pattern piece representing each stencil outline, with corresponding ones of the stencil outlines and pattern pieces having similar markings as an aid to matching, whereby a costume can be designed by selecting a particular combination of outlines and drawing through said outlines onto a writing sheet to form a two-dimensional representation of a design, and that particular costume design can be constructed by using said similar markings to locate the pattern pieces which correspond to the outlines used in the costume design and then using those pattern pieces to cut the material and make the costume.

2. A kit according to claim 1, in which the outlines of the members show the different costume parts as viewed in perspective.

3. A kit according to claim 1, in which one of the pattern pieces corresponds simultaneously to at least two of the members of the set.

4. A kit according to claim 1, in which at least one of the costume parts is represented in at least two different styles by respective ones of the stencils.

5. A kit according to claim 1, in which a plurality of the stencils are formed as a set in a single sheet of a translucent plastics material.

6. A kit according to claim 1, in which in addition to the stencils having corresponding pattern pieces, there are further stencils representing a human figure and accessories, to which said further stencils there are no corresponding pattern pieces.

7. A kit according to claim 1, in which the pattern pieces are formed as flexible sheets of a translucent plastics material.

8. A kit according to claim 1, in which at least one of the pattern pieces has superimposed thereon guide lines for use in making up the pattern shown in different costume sizes.

9. A kit accordingly to claim 8, in which each different guide line is drawn on the pattern piece in a respective color. 

1. A kit for use in designing and making costumes, comprising, in combination, a set of stencils with each stencil having a unique outline representing a particular costume part, at least one of said costume parts being represented by the outline of more than one shape of a particular style, at least one clothing pattern piece representing each stencil outline, with corresponding ones of the stencil outlines and pattern pieces having similar markings as an aid to matching, whereby a costume can be designed by selecting a particular combination of outlines and drawing through said outlines onto a writing sheet to form a two-dimensional representation of a design, and that particular costume design can be constructed by using said similar markings to locate the pattern pieces which correspond to the outlines used in the costume design and then using those pattern pieces to cut the material and make the costume.
 2. A kit according to claim 1, in which the outlines of the members show the different costume parts as viewed in perspective.
 3. A kit according to claim 1, in which one of the pattern pieces corresponds simultaneously to at least two of the members of the set.
 4. A kit according to claim 1, in which at least one of The costume parts is represented in at least two different styles by respective ones of the stencils.
 5. A kit according to claim 1, in which a plurality of the stencils are formed as a set in a single sheet of a translucent plastics material.
 6. A kit according to claim 1, in which in addition to the stencils having corresponding pattern pieces, there are further stencils representing a human figure and accessories, to which said further stencils there are no corresponding pattern pieces.
 7. A kit according to claim 1, in which the pattern pieces are formed as flexible sheets of a translucent plastics material.
 8. A kit according to claim 1, in which at least one of the pattern pieces has superimposed thereon guide lines for use in making up the pattern shown in different costume sizes.
 9. A kit accordingly to claim 8, in which each different guide line is drawn on the pattern piece in a respective color. 